Death Wobble Weird Symptoms

OldManKamps

OldManKamps

New member
Hey all,
So about a week ago, I noticed a wobble developing on the highway. At first, the wobble appeared for a few minutes and then would disappear. Over the last week it kept getting worse and worse until yesterday it was permanently happening and intensifying with speed. I coasted about 10mph and felt that something was rubbing at intervals related to speeds and causing a slow-down. My truck was pulling to the left pretty strongly. So I popped off the tire and felt an obvious spot in the brakes where the left brake would slow down the wheel but then let off after.

So, I popped out the pads and was going to try a different set of pads but the pads wouldn't fit! No matter what I did, the pistons would not contract any deeper and I couldnt get the new pads in. So I talked to my mechanic friend and thought it was a seized caliper. I went to partsource and got a new caliper and got it on.

Now I took it for a test drive and it was great! No pulling, dead straight. Then suddenly at 50km/h, DEATH WOBBLE.

What could this be? It's sporadic again and I don't know what it is!
I don't feel the wobble in the brakes, only severely in the steering wheel.
I have replaced my steering rack bushings.
 
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Maybe your control arm bushings are shot?? I don't see how driving down the highway and not touching the brakes how they can cause what you are saying.
 
OldManKamps said:
Hey all,
So about a week ago, I noticed a wobble developing on the highway. At first, the wobble appeared for a few minutes and then would disappear. Over the last week it kept getting worse and worse until yesterday it was permanently happening and intensifying with speed. I coasted about 10mph and felt that something was rubbing at intervals related to speeds and causing a slow-down. My truck was pulling to the left pretty strongly. So I popped off the tire and felt an obvious spot in the brakes where the left brake would slow down the wheel but then let off after.

So, I popped out the pads and was going to try a different set of pads but the pads wouldn't fit! No matter what I did, the pistons would not contract any deeper and I couldnt get the new pads in. So I talked to my mechanic friend and thought it was a seized caliper. I went to partsource and got a new caliper and got it on.

Now I took it for a test drive and it was great! No pulling, dead straight. Then suddenly at 50km/h, DEATH WOBBLE.

What could this be? It's sporadic again and I don't know what it is!
I don't feel the wobble in the brakes, only severely in the steering wheel.
I have replaced my steering rack bushings.
Click to expand...

Death wobble can be caused by many things, but mostly its the tires or steering linkage. Of course any looseness in the suspension can cause movement which can oscillate creating wobble. If your tires are not the problem, look at inner tie rods, outers too, and of course ball joints and bushings. Swap your tires to the rear and see if it changes.
 
kball said:
Maybe your control arm bushings are shot?? I don't see how driving down the highway and not touching the brakes how they can cause what you are saying.
Click to expand...

It would get worse after i touched the brakes and then slowly fade away. This made me think of the sticking caliper.
 
From what you're saying and watching the vid I still say it has something to do with worn suspension or steering parts.

When you were trying to push the calipers back in what tool were you using? I have found pliers won't normally do it. Need a c-clamp type of tool to push them in.
 
kball said:
From what you're saying and watching the vid I still say it has something to do with worn suspension or steering parts.

When you were trying to push the calipers back in what tool were you using? I have found pliers won't normally do it. Need a c-clamp type of tool to push them in.
Click to expand...

I tried to get a C-clamp in there but it wouldnt fit past the rotor and then I tried to pry against the rotor the push them in but that wouldn't work either.
Are you saying that the pistons not retracting is normal?
 
OldManKamps said:
I tried to get a C-clamp in there but it wouldnt fit past the rotor and then I tried to pry against the rotor the push them in but that wouldn't work either.
Are you saying that the pistons not retracting is normal?
Click to expand...

Without using a clamping type tool, yes. Next time crack the bleeder screw which will make it much easier to push the pistons in. If they won't go in with the bleeder cracked, then you have a seized piston.
 
kball said:
Without using a clamping type tool, yes. Next time crack the bleeder screw which will make it much easier to push the pistons in. If they won't go in with the bleeder cracked, then you have a seized piston.
Click to expand...

Well shit, I better try again! Save myself the cost of that new caliper.
 
The steering wobbles are the only achille's heel these vehicles have. Well, that and the rear axle seals failing. Have you checked that your rear brakes aren't drenched in gear oil? My vehicle would pull to one side every time one failed.

Steering wobble can be any of the following:

1. Inner tie rods with play
2. Outer tie rods with play
3. Failing steering rack (not common)
4. Bad u-joints on driveshaft
5. Bad driveshaft
6. Lower ball joint with play
7. Bad tires/poor tire wear
8. Bad alignment
9. Tires out of balance
10. Steering rack bushings
11. Sway bay bushings/end link bushings.

So yeah, it's just a stab in the dark at this point. A warped rotor or stuck caliper would only be felt when applying brakes. If it was dragging full-time you'd smell the terrible stench of burning brakes.
 
OldManKamps said:
Now I took it for a test drive and it was great! No pulling, dead straight. Then suddenly at 50km/h, DEATH WOBBLE.
Click to expand...

Mine did the same thing. Cruzen right along, all is fine and then at 45mph all hell broke loose...thought I was gonna die for sure...no control what so ever until it came to a dead stop...scared the hell out of me....drove very slowly to an alignment shop and they found the weights on one side of the left tire were gone....they said it would have caused that...checked it all out, re-balanced the tire and all is well......just my .02 worth...you might want to rotate the tires....
 
Magmotor said:
Mine did the same thing. Cruzen right along, all is fine and then at 45mph all hell broke loose...thought I was gonna die for sure...no control what so ever until it came to a dead stop...scared the hell out of me....drove very slowly to an alignment shop and they found the weights on one side of the left tire were gone....they said it would have caused that...checked it all out, re-balanced the tire and all is well......just my .02 worth...you might want to rotate the tires....
Click to expand...

Okay, weirdest thing. So i went out to check out the wheel weights. None were missing. So occam's razor popped in my head and i thought well shit, i should check the tire pressure! Sure enough, front right and both rears are sitting pretty at 33-34 psi and front left is at 23. So I pumped it up to 34 and went for a test drove.
Drove like a MILLION dollars. Poker straight. Felt so sturdy. The wheel didnt mean at all. And then after 5 minutes of driving and using the brakes. The wheel started to shimmy a bit. Worse and worse and worse. It was pulling hard to the right. Idling in first gear(5 speed), it nearly stalled out the vehicle and was pulling so hard to the right.
So i went home and checked and sure enough! The right rotor and wheel were very hot! And making heat noises like an exhaust pipe. The left side was nice and warm like normal brake temperature.
So SOMEHOW, both my calipers seized within a week of each other?!
Can anyone speak on this? What caused this?
 
OldManKamps said:
Okay, weirdest thing. So i went out to check out the wheel weights. None were missing. So occam's razor popped in my head and i thought well shit, i should check the tire pressure! Sure enough, front right and both rears are sitting pretty at 33-34 psi and front left is at 23. So I pumped it up to 34 and went for a test drove.
Drove like a MILLION dollars. Poker straight. Felt so sturdy. The wheel didnt mean at all. And then after 5 minutes of driving and using the brakes. The wheel started to shimmy a bit. Worse and worse and worse. It was pulling hard to the right. Idling in first gear(5 speed), it nearly stalled out the vehicle and was pulling so hard to the right.
So i went home and checked and sure enough! The right rotor and wheel were very hot! And making heat noises like an exhaust pipe. The left side was nice and warm like normal brake temperature.
So SOMEHOW, both my calipers seized within a week of each other?!
Can anyone speak on this? What caused this?
Click to expand...

They are apart of the same system, same exact workload. Doesn't have to be a reason. Shit happens. Same thing happened to me. Wasn't within a week, more like a month but I replace anything on this truck like this in pairs now.
 
JRZEE2000TR4LTD said:
They are apart of the same system, same exact workload. Doesn't have to be a reason. Shit happens. Same thing happened to me. Wasn't within a week, more like a month but I replace anything on this truck like this in pairs now.
Click to expand...

Fair enough :)
Is there any way to prevent this? Or is this just life? haha
 
I wonder how much it would cost to ship you a couple calipers from California? I gained a couple from a guy I did the Tundra brake upgrade for.
 
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